An electronic current awareness system for Law Development Centre (LDC) Library, Uganda
View/ Open
Date
2021-02-04Author
Jjuuko, Paul
Khabuya, Caroline
Bamwitte, Herman
Mugabe, Micheal
Amuge, Harriet
Agaba, Brenda
Akello, Berna
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The study aimed at designing an Electronic Current Awareness System for Law Development Center (LDC) Library. The objectives of the study were to; establish the status of CAS, identify the challenges faced in offering CAS, determine the requirements for an electronic CAS and design an Electronic CAS in Law Development Centre Library.
The study employed a case study research design while adopting both qualitative and quantitative research approaches in collecting data. Questionnaire, interview, and documentary analysis methods of data collection was used because of the nature of study. Simple random sampling method was used to select the 30 library users and purposive sampling to select the 2-library staff.
The research findings showed that library users visit the library on a daily basis, to get more information in their fields of study so there is a need for the current awareness services. The library users visit the library to consult about legal information the new legal information materials, and to use computers for research. The study findings showed that majority of the respondents agreed that the library rarely displays the new arrivals, a good number of respondents disagreed that there are emails sent to them notifying about the new updates in the library. Majority of library users access citation alert services.
Based on the study findings, the system of offering current awareness services at Law Development Centre Library are traditional means which have pose a number of challenges faced by patrons and the library staff when utilizing and offering them. The users of Law Development Centre Library greatly need current awareness services in order to meet their information needs. Though the library offers a wide range of reference needs, these can no longer meet the needs of the library users in the modern era. Therefore, it was found worthy to develop and implement a framework for the delivery of the current awareness services at Law Development Centre Library.
The recommendations for the study were; use of social media networks, use of notice boards, visiting the classes and inform them on the new updates, library visit hours, training of the library staff, and orientation of library users.